Toastbabies and Gingerbread Houses
by AULOVE
Summary: Submitted for Yuletide in Panem! An Everlark Christmas Drabble. The Toastbabies are up to mischief in their quest to surprise their parents with the help of Haymitch and Effie for the Holidays. Cannon.


AN: Submitted for Yuletide in Panem! Beta'ed by the wonderful ct522.

Please Enjoy and review!

PS th HG is not mine

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"Peeta, have you seen my arrows?" Katniss yelled down from the entrance of the basement door.

"Aren't your arrows are in the closet in the mud room by the back door?"

"Peeta, I looked there!" Katniss was getting grumpy. As she stalked to the kitchen she felt a draft as if the door had been open, but she did not find it strange. This house was drafty sometimes. She opened the door and sure enough her sheath was there, except she was missing a few arrows.

Irritated, Katniss walked back to the door. She wanted to go hunting today. These were the last of the good days before it got too cold for her to go outside. If anything, Katniss had not been able to go in the past few weeks. The kids had started school in September, shortly after which Rye got sick. Rye gave it to Willow, who then passed it on to Haymitch. Haymitch passed it on to Peeta, and Peeta passed it on to her. These were the final days of October and she had not been able to hunt since before September. Katniss needed to be out in the woods today.

"Peeta some of them are missing!"

"Well check again, because that is the only place where it could be, sweetheart." There were only three reasons Peeta would be short with her. She did something that he disagreed with, he was sick or was having an episode.

Katniss called in a much gentler voice, "Peeta?"

"What?" Peeta came up from the basement with a canvass in his hands, his brows furrowed.

"Are you okay?"

Peeta eyes snapped to Katniss.

Katniss narrowed her steely gaze at Peeta, trying to determine if it was time to get a chair, so that he could hold on to.

"Sorry Katniss, its just I'm missing stuff. I can't explain it because it's not a lot. But I know I have a canvass that is about 8x10, then there are brushes and some of my paint it's not gone but looks like there is less, you know. I don't know, it almost feels like an episode where I black out."

Katniss forgot all about her arrows and immediately wrapped her arms around Peeta. He had not blanked out like that in years. She knew how he tried to stay in the present. The treatment prescribed to Peeta by Dr. Aurelius helped him gain some sense of normalcy.

Things like this sometimes set him back. "I can help you look."

"No that's not necessary, I just hate that I can't remember if I used them, you know?"

Katniss placed her head in the crook of his shoulders. "We can call Dr. Aurelius if you want?"

Peeta shook his head. "Funny thing is I don't feel like I had an episode. I don't have a headache and I don't feel fuzzy, "

"Does your tongue feel heavy?"

Even though the doctors in Thirteen had flushed his system of the Venom, trace amounts still lingered in his bloodstream. Sometimes the lingering after effect of the venom mixing with his daily medication made his tongue feel heavy.

"No it doesn't."

"Maybe you just don't remember, like I can't for the life of me recall where I put my arrows."

Peeta chuckled and Katniss could feel the rumble through his chest.

"You know, I feel like we are getting old."

"Hush Peeta, we are not getting old."

"Okay then how do you explain our forgetfulness?"

"We've got two kids and lead busy lives and we don't even…." Katniss blushed suddenly.

Even after two kids, Katniss was still shy about kissing in public. Peeta still had no problem with nudity. Before his kids were born Peeta walked around in the buff. Now he had to wear pajamas when not dressed.

"We don't even what?" Peeta raised an eyebrow as he looked down at Katniss. Her face had that particular shade of red he found sexy.

"You know," Katniss shyly looked at Peeta from underneath her lashes.

"Oh we can remedy that, the kids are taking their naps."  
Katniss eyes shined and she immediately pulled Peeta hand toward the living room. Surprisingly enough there were no toys scattered about the floor. If they had not been wrapped up in their own world they missed their children running furiously up the stairs.

Rye's little feet quickly scampered up the stairs trying to keep up with his sister. Once they were safe in Willow's room, Rye turned to his sister and looked at her.

"Lil" Rye uttered. He had never been able to say Willow, it came out sounding like Lilow. Eventually her name was shortened to Lil.

Willow put finger on her lips indicating they should be quiet as they heard their parent's laughter and a thump as they passed their bedroom door. In her other hand, she clutched the arrows. Rye held the canvas and several of their dad's paint brushes.

Rye waited until it became silent, "Mommy and daddy angry?"

"No Rye they aren't. They are just confused but they are going to be super happy at Christmas, okay."

"Okay?" Rye was a little confused, but at five years of age, he trusted his sister implicitly.

Lil walked over to peer under her bed at the stuff she and Rye had gotten their hands on. They were going to go over to Grandpa's house to bring it since their parents were going to jump on the bed before napping.

Rye bent down and peered under the bed also.

"Christmas feels like it's never gonna come Lil."

"Yeah I know but we just got to get the stuff we need to get to Grandpa." Willow sighed then said. "You ready to get daddy's things for Christmas?"

"Yep." Rye nodded his head.

"Cool, let's go."

Willow and Rye worked hard during the months leading up to Christmas Day. It was not an easy thing to do, to plan a surprise for her parents. Her mommy and daddy were special. This year she had learned about the Games in school and everything her parents went through to overcome them. She learned why the people in town looked at her mommy and daddy with the utmost respect and why outsiders reacted so weirdly whenever they saw them.

It was strange to think of her parents as famous for suffering. It was how her Christmas gift came about. Lil stood in front of her brother. He had their dad's smile. His red sweater did not have a stain on it, while her dress was already ripped. His wavy blond hair combed back, while the bows in her hair were askew. They were having dinner with Grandpa and Aunt Effie. Each Christmas Eve, Aunt Effort wanted them to take a family picture in front of the fireplace. Lily was making sure Rye washed his hands.

"It's Christmas tomorrow Lil."

"I know mom and dad are going to be so surprised."

Rye had been waiting for this day for months now. How he got so good at waiting he did not know but he was proud of himself.

"Let's get going." Lil replied.

"Okay."

That night Rye couldn't sleep. He was excited and full of dread that his mommy and daddy wouldn't like their present. He finally got up and went to his sister's room. "Lil, can I stay with you?"

Lil looked at her brother, his blond hair a riot of blond curls. His grey eyes were like wide saucers on his face, "Sure."

He climbed upon the bed and snuggled in with Lil. "Do you love me Lil?"

"Real Rye, I will always love you." Lil said, snuggling with her little brother. After a little bit she whispered, "Don't worry. Mom and dad are going to love their present."

"Okay." Rye whispered back, feeling assured.

Christmas morning came and Katniss awoke first. Her nose immediately picked up on something gingery in the air. She turned her head to see Peeta's face buried in the pillow, his strong arms wrapped around her middle. Normally, Peeta had the great sense of smell due to his years in the kitchen, though lately she had the ability to smell things from miles away. However this morning she was alarmed.

Gently, Katniss called, "Peeta."

"Hmmm" Peeta murmured.

"Peeta, wake up," Katniss whispered.

Peeta did not respond.

"Peeta I think the kids are playing around in the kitchen."

This woke up him immediately. If there was something he took seriously, it was kitchen safety. "What?"

"I smell ginger," she said.

Peeta smelled it, too, and he sat up immediately. Katniss handed him his leg and he put the sock over his stump.

Together, they headed downstairs to find their seven year old and five year old with Haymitch and Effie in their kitchen. A very old rendition of 'Santa Clause is Coming to Town' was playing in the background. They were covered in flour and frosting.

For a minute, Katniss stood there watching the domesticated scene. She had never seen Effie or, for that matter, Haymitch cook. She looked up at Peeta, who had his arms crossed over his chest. The kitchen was a wreck.

"What is going on here?"

Peeta's stern voice caused all four pairs of eyes to suddenly look up and stare at him. Of the two, Peeta was the disciplinarian. Katniss did punish them but was more inclined to nurture her babies. She often let them get away with something s, whereas Peeta was very much regimented. This came from his days in wrestling and his stern upbringing. It was this fountain he used to help Katniss and Haymitch to train like Careers back during the Quarter Quell.

"Merry Christmas, daddy!" Lil said stepping forward.

Rye ran to his parents and hugged them. "Merry Christmas, we have a surprise for you!"

"What's going on here?" Katniss was suspicious, she knew she smelled ginger but she did not see a teat or anything that resembled it.

"The kids have made you something special, but you guys have to go upstairs and put something warm on." Haymitch gave them the barest of smiles.

"Come along children, let us get your coats on, today is a big, big, big big day." Effie chirped as she walked up the stairs with Lil and Rye.

"Seriously we're going outside?" Peeta said. He wanted to stay in. There was a plan for today. Beginning with eggnog pancakes.

"Yes and you are going to love it because your two little toastbabies have been working on this for months and you are not going to disappoint them, okay?"Haymitch admonished.

Katniss and Peeta nodded their head in unison . They had not heard Haymitch sound like their gruff cynical mentor in years. Wordlessly, they walked upstairs and did as they were told.

When the group was ready, Haymitch surprised them with the sleigh and horse. Effie handed the basket to Lil, then climbed in with a brightly decorated box.

"Come on daddy," Rye said jumping up and down. "Let's sing Jingle Bells."

Peeta smiled at his son, easily picking him up. Peeta did not have a good singing voice but his son inherited his voice from Katniss. Together, they began to sing and were eventually joined by the rest of the group.

Katniss was singing but her curiosity about what the kids were up to did not let her fully enjoy the trip as Haymitch led their sleigh into the forest. The sleigh easily glided in the thick snow. She looked up at the snow-covered branches, the way they were decorated with the majestic power of winter. The woods always made her smile, though of late she had not been able to come. She could not help the way her lips twitched as she heard her children oh and ah over the place she spent many hours in as a kid. She saw things in a different light this morning.

Katniss held on to Peeta. He placed his arm around her, making her feel safe, warm and complete. Lil was sitting in the front, wedged in between Haymitch and Effie. She wondered what present the kids could have gotten her and Peeta in the forest?

It was then that the route became familiar. Haymitch stopped and turned around. "Okay guys this is when you need to close your eyes."

"What?"

"Rye, put your hands over your dad's face. Make sure he doesn't peek." Rye grinned as he placed his small hands over his face, his fingers spread wide.

To feel his son's chubby hands on his face, so trusting and free of worries made Peeta's heart burst. At one point in his life, Peeta never thought this would happen. He was happy to have survived, to be able to pick the fake memories from the real ones. To his child smelled like stardust and magic.

"Don't open your eyes, daddy."

"Okay I won't but make your mommy keeps her eyes closed. She likes to cheat."

"Do not." Katniss scowled but her voice conveyed warmth and love.

"Do too…" Peeta countered back as he pulled Katniss close to him.

Rye's peals of laughter suddenly lit up the air. It put everyone into the Christmas spirit.

They continued until they stopped. "Okay folks, time to dismount."

"Haymitch, be a dear and help them get down safely," said Effie. " It will not do to have them get hurt."

Haymitch helped them get down.

"Okay, on three Rye."

Lil and Rye gleefully looked at each other together they yelled, "One, Two Three, Surprise!"

For a moment there was stunned silence.

They stood before the cabin, that Katniss always wanted to fix up. But had not been able to. First they were healing, then they had Lil, and finally Rye. To see it build up and in the way that Katniss always always dreamed of stole Peeta and Katniss ability to speak. Neither Peeta or Katniss had not come out to the cabin since Rye's birth. Life had become complicated with two children.

"Oh my…" Peeta said as they took the final turn. All of his plans were thrown out the window as he beheld the cabin that once belonged to Katniss's father. The roof was fixed, the house was expanded, made bigger on the side and most assuredly in the back. The combination of the snow and the Christmas lights made their home look like a gingerbread house.

"My dad's cabin." Katniss whispered.

Peeta wrapped his arm around Katniss' small frame. They had amazing kids. For a brief moment it was just them. Then as children do they sought out their parents.

"Come on daddy lets go."

The kids were pulling Peeta toward the house as Effie trailed behind them. Katniss and Haymitch hung behind.

Katniss had no words. "When did this happen?"

"Let's just your children have been hard at work. They have been trying to keep this asecret for months now." Haymitch held it together but he looked like he wanted to cry.

Katniss was astonished that her daughter had managed to keep the secret. Willow was a bit of a talker and Rye followed suit.

"It's cold outside. Why don't we take this little party inside? Come one these two have some surprises in store for you both." Haymitch gruffly herded the group inside.

Katniss walked into the cabin, there mounted above the mantle was her arrow and paint brush. She began to pick up the things she thought were misplaced or lost, little touches that made the cabin a home. Haymitch joined Effie in the kitchen. Katniss could see how Effie was trying to keep her emotions in check.

"You're not angry with us?" Rye said ringing his little chubby hands.

"No!" They both exclaimed in unison. It was true for weeks; both Peeta and Katniss thought they were going mad looking for things. The kids took items that could easily be misplaced.

"We wanted to do something for you at Christmas."

"Here, my precious. Explain it to you mother and father." Effie carefully balanced abox in her hand, despite her mile high heals.

Willow uncovered the box. It contained a gingerbread replica of the cabin, but clearly made with kids hands. Peeta was amazed by the details their kids put into the house. There were fresh gingerbread cookies of their family lining the front of the house. Katniss eyes conveyed her love, as she knew she smelled fresh ginger that morning.

"We made a model, of the cabin. Grandpa Haymitch and Aunt Effie helped."

"Even the Mayor." Rye quipped.

"Our kids have been busy" Peeta whispered. His eyes were bright blue, filled with unshed tears.

"We know how much you love the woods but lately you haven't been able to come out here so we wanted to make you a place we can all come out to, even when it gets cold."

"See, look. There are your arrows." Rye pointed to where his mom's arrows were inside the house.

Katniss swallowed. She wanted to cry at the enormity of what her kids had been up to.

Lil looked at her mom in the face, she recalled the words her parents told her this year when they explained about the past and the book. "You said together we are stronger than apart. It's true, together we are stronger. Everyone helped and now we have a place in the woods for us."

"Daddy can bake, we can play in the snow, and you can hunt," chimed in Rye.

Katniss laughed at her son's optimism. Her children had given her and Peeta a place that was not touched by Snow or the Games. A place that was filled with happy memories, and now it would have her family. She smiled and hunched down in front of her son and daughter hugging them tightly. She never imagined becoming a mother would be like this. Katniss tried to hold back the emotion in her voice. Her arms trembled as she held her babies. "Well since we are giving out presents, I think I will give out mine."

Peeta wondered what Katniss was up to. Often one to hold back her emotions, she wasn't good at saying things.

With a twinkle in her eye Katniss smiled excitedly. "We're having another toastbaby."


End file.
